My Jolly Sailor Bold
by undertheaegisof
Summary: Mermaids. Sirens. Beautiful creatures. Both the fantasy and nightmare of any sailor. The Hunger Games belong completely to Suzanne Collins, I merely love the characters she brought to life.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Mermaids. Sirens. Beautiful creatures. Both the fantasy and nightmare of any sailor. They say that a mermaid is the most beautiful thing a sailor could ever see. With voices so beautiful they ensnare a man with ease. With a kiss they will drag you under and into the ocean depths. Where they take their victims to their underwater lair and feast upon their flesh. Both a fantasy and a nightmare. Every sailor wishes to see one, to witness the beauty and hear their sultry song. Yet every sailor knows that most likely that would be the last thing they ever saw. However reason is abandoned once they begin to sing.

…:::…


	2. Chapter 2

Mermaid

I drag the coral comb through my dark auburn hair. The long locks drift in the slight ocean current. I hum quietly to myself.

"Katniss!" Annie swims in, her vibrant red hair floating around her face like a halo.

I turn abruptly and see her excited face.

"What's happening Annie?" I ask, slightly concerned.

"Johanna hears tell of a ship that has been spotted in the cove. She said Glimmer caught sight of it and says that the sailors are mighty handsome. Apparently they look very tasty, perfect for a feast." Hunger is evident in Annie's eyes.

It has been a while since a ship passed through here. It has been a while since we were satisfied with human flesh. The fowl we catch perched atop rocks and flying close to the surface can only satisfy for so long. The taste of human flesh calls to us and we hunger for it.

"Lead the way." I growl, fierce with desire.

She swims out of my cave and I go behind immediately.

A gathering of mermaids awaits us and we swim eagerly towards them. The yearning appetite fills the salty water. The murmur of voices carries through the water to my ears. The excitement is palpable; I can feel it radiating from every mermaid here.

"Ladies," Johanna's voice rings clear, "Today we feast!" Everyone cheers, myself included. "These men are seasoned sailors, they won't be as easily swayed. I say we send out the very best of us. They won't even realize their fate until we have them in our grasp! How about it ladies? Shall we strike them with our strongest?"

A resounding chorus of agreement sounds as everyone turns to me.

"Katniss. We all know that none but the coldest man could possibly hope to resist your song." Johanna smiles brightly, as does everyone else.

I allow a devious smile to play upon my lips and I nod my head.

…:::…

Man

The smell of the ocean air and the hint of salt that clings to my lips is exhilarating. I've missed this, the luxuries of land could never compare to the sea. There is something about the rocking of the ship and the smell of sweat and hard work that invigorates even the oldest sailor. Every sailor feels only the deepest love for the sea.

"Peeta!" Finnick calls across the deck. "It's good to be back at sea!" He exclaims happily as he thumps me hard on the back. "It'd be better of course if we weren't trapped under the dictatorship of Captain Snow and his first mate the admirable Cato." He says the last part with heavy sarcasm.

"Indeed." I agree. Captain Snow is a cruel man. Yet somehow he has the highest respect as a ship captain. His true reputation hasn't yet reached the respectable ears of his clients. Although I doubt that many would care.

"Oh well. Do you know what they say about this cove Peeta?" His voice is alight with excitement. I shake my head.

"They say that mermaids live here." Finnick has always wanted nothing more than to see a mermaid. He cares not for the consequences or he believes them to be false.

"With any luck my friend, we'll see one." He smiles and walks off.

I chuckle at my friend's antics. I don't entirely believe the tales of beautiful women with tails instead of legs. All the men who claim to have seen them are washed up old sailors who love their drink in large quantity. But if what they say is true then with any luck we will not be so unfortunate as to see a mermaid.

...::::...


	3. Chapter 3

Mermaid

The sun has set when I approach the ship. I see it floating in the distance, lanterns still lit. I pull myself up onto a rock that juts out from the cool waters.

I can see a few figures move about in the flow of the lantern light. I watch for a few moments at the strange movements of their limbs. Legs, I believe I've heard them called, two of them…it just seems odd to me.

My curiosity at the strange creature of man aside, my hunger is still stronger. I know my sisters are waiting so I open my mouth and allow a soft melody to find purchase on the wind and float towards the unsuspecting ship.

…:::…

Man

A soft and harmonious melody gently wakes me from my slumber. I can hear the shuffles as the other sailors around me are waking to the sound.

It's beautiful. It's haunting. It draws me in. It calls to me. I can't quite make out the words but the soft tones ensnare my thoughts. I find myself mindlessly drifting up to the deck, my eyes searching for the source to this beautiful noise.

My fellow sailors seem to be caught in a similar stupor. Faintly I register Finnick looking giddily out to sea. Barely do I recognize the evil glint in the captain's eyes. No my mind is completely gone to the mysterious melody.

My eyes continue to scan until they land upon a dark silhouette atop a large rock. The figure slips down into the waiting ocean waves but the effects of the song continue.

My mind is hazy and dim. As if I've drunk to much rum, but I feel only happiness.

"Look." One of the crew member's voice sounds over the ship in a dreamy tone. He points behind us and I turn slowly.

A dark haired, grey-eyed beauty draws my eyes. She leans on the railing with her arms crossed and her head resting in the crook of her left arm. She bats her eyes at us, all the while humming that haunting tune. She's beautiful.

She stares at us momentarily before opening her lush lips. Her penetrating and honeyed voice is as smooth as silk, yet smoky and seductive.

 _My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,_

 _There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold._

I drift towards her mindlessly, completely entranced by her song. She pushes up onto her elbows and leans towards me still singing.

 _Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be_

 _Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea._

I notice she wears no top. Her long tresses covering her breasts almost strategically.

 _My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,_

 _There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold._

Many others have joined her song and are perched similarly around the railings. Every sailor is completely enthralled with their song.

 _My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,_

 _There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold_

I briefly notice dozens more in the waters but the grey-eyed beauty places a soft, damp hand upon my cheek and draws my attention back to her. Her singing stops but the song continues in a lingering chorus of dozens of voices.

"You're beautiful." I whisper.

Her eyes search mine; a conflicting emotion briefly passes her face. She pulls me closer and I oblige willingly.

"Will you be my jolly sailor bold?" Her husky, seducing tone sends shivers down my spine.

…::::…


	4. Chapter 4

Mermaid

This blue-eyed, curly haired sailor spikes my curiosity. He's different somehow. His eyes hold a gentleness I have never seen before. Unlike the usual lust the male eye beholds at the sight of us, he stares with an unusual kindness.

My desire and hunger is momentarily forgotten in the depths of his eyes. Instead I find myself curious to feel the touch of his lips on mine and not solely for the purpose of trapping him as my prey.

His gaze shifts from me, beholding the sight of my sisters joining in my call. Annie, Johanna and Madge, as well as many others including Clove and Glimmer have taken their post on the railings and the sailors gravitate towards them.

I place my hand upon his cheek, the warm skin is supple beneath my hand, and I draw his attention back to me. I need to satiate this curiosity.

I notice in my peripheral that Clove and Glimmer both have their prey in hand and have begun to tempt them down into the waters. As soon as the first have fallen the rest will begin to panic. If I am to quench my curiosity I must do it before then.

I pull his face to mine and collide my lips with his. The overwhelming warmth fills me as his lips mold with my own. I release him quickly; the shock of such feelings overcomes me. He breathes a gasp against my lips.

I hear the first scream come from the other side of the ship. No doubt it is a youngling. They can hardly wait long enough to satisfy their hunger.

A few of the sailors regain their bearings and panic arises. "Mermaids!" Some shout, the reaction is instantaneous. They know our sport and have regained their senses.

The man before me doesn't step back though. I can tell he is slightly panicked but he makes no move away from me. He holds me in his gaze.

I see Clove and Glimmer pull their victims into the water with a kiss but the other sailors are prepared. A grimy man grabs a large barrel and hurls it into the water, knocking Clove away from the sailor she had seduced. He swims away and climbs aboard the ship.

Another vicious looking man grabs a long and pointed spear and aims it into the depths. I hear Glimmer cry out in pain and her prey resurfaces alone. He clambers aboard, uttering many of the curses of man.

"Herd them into the cove!" A serpent like man with evil in his eyes snaps at the panicking sailors. He holds a net in one hand and I watch as he tosses it over the ship. He begins to pull with a malicious grin.

I know now I must flee. I drop into the rolling waves. I can hear the screams of those sailors who were not so lucky to be rescued. Explosions begin all around me and I do my best to swim away. I can see alarm in the expressions of many of my sisters. We had not been expecting this; we were not prepared.

…:::…

Man

The crew throws barrels of lit gunpowder into the disturbed waters below. They explode before hitting the water and the mermaids are desperately attempting to escape and to avoid the blasts.

I tried to seek out my grey-eyed beauty but I see her nowhere. I only hope she escaped.

Captain Snow hauls out a blonde and a black haired mermaid from the struggle below. The blonde lays quietly in her net, while the black haired one stares us down with a menacing glare and growls and shrieks at us all the while attempting to move free of her netted cage.

We load up the boats and part from the ship, into the cove where the explosions, or nets, or armed sailors trap many a mermaid. They recognize the danger and are attempting to flee but unfortunately have nowhere to go.

A few yards away I see another mermaid tied up in a net. A radiant red haired mermaid struggles but cannot free herself. They load her onto the boat and head back to the ship.

I see a few sailors fall prey to their mermaid foes and their screams echo in my mind. Many manage to get past us; cleverly they outsmart us.

Ahead I see my grey-eyed beauty; she has been trapped beneath a fallen rock. No doubt from an exploding barrel that hit the cliff face. She struggles desperately, her beautiful face marred by fear. I wish her safe, not trapped like many of her kin. So I rush to her and push the boulder from her tail. She stares at me in disbelief before she begins to move away.

Captain Snow blocks her path, appearing as if from thin air. She reels back and attempts a new route. But he sees her rouse and takes his sword and stabs through the thinner fleshy bit of her sea-green tail.

She screeches in pain and I feel tears prick my eyes. She bares her teeth and attempts to hide her pain.

"Haul her to the ship boy." The captain commands as he throws me a net.

I approach her and see the pain in her eyes. When I am close enough I whisper, "I'm sorry," and hope she understands. When she is secure in the net I remove the sword from her tail, she whimpers in pain. It tugs at my heartstrings to hear her hurt.

Captain Snow accompanies me back to the ship; I have no chance to release her. He throws her to the deck and she lays entangled in her net. She barely struggles; every time she does it only seems to increase her pain. Her face contorts despite her attempts to feign indifference. I imagine it must feel similar to if I were to be stabbed in the foot.

The three other mermaids turn their attention to her immediately, seeing the wound and the blood beginning to seep across the wooden deck. "No!" The black haired one growls. "You bastards!" She actually speaks, and in our language which surprises me. Although it is also surprising to hear such language from a female…even though it shouldn't be, it is not like she knows our society's manners.

Weakly the grey-eyed one lifts her head to acknowledge her captured kin. But it is short lived, the pain spasms through her body. She slumps back to the deck, which is stained by her blood where she lies. I ache to help her but cannot think of a way.

Captain Snow barks orders to fill a few large barrels with water and haul them below deck. Once that task is complete we carry our prisoners down below. We dip them partly in the barrel, only to the tops of their tails, and bind them to the rafter to hang by their hands.

When asked why we provided them any water at all he simply answers. "It is just enough to keep them alive. To see mermaids is rare. To capture them is even more so. These four will fetch a hefty price." Greed laces his voice and seeps into every word.

…:::…


	5. Chapter 5

Mermaid

Pain. It is the only entity I can recognize. It courses through my body like a poison. I feel it in my tail, where that bastard snake-like creature pierced me. I can sense it in my wrists, where the ropes bite into my soft human flesh. Such weak flesh compared to my scales.

"Katniss." I hear the hiss of a familiar voice but my mind cannot place it.

I try to lift my head but it is far too heavy. My ears ring with the sounds of the creaking ship, my prison.

"Katniss." The voice is angry now at my lack of response. I try to speak but any response is trapped in my throat.

A set of heavy thumps resounds and steadily increases in volume. It stops nearby and I sense the presence of another being in the room.

"What have you done to her you stupid bastard! She's dying! Are you happy now?" The voice I now recognize as Johanna's growls at the intruder.

"I'm sorry." A masculine voice chokes on the words.

"You're sorry?" Johanna hisses once again, "You gutless piece of land scum, you're not sorry. Your greed and malice overwhelm your senses. All you see is profit! You care not for the fact that you're bringing us to a fate worse than death."

"You certainly are talkative for a mermaid." The masculine voice muses. "I find it a bit ironic that you accuse me of such horrors yet weren't you going to feast on our bones not days ago?"

"We would have made it quick." She spits. "You condemn us to a life of experimentation and torture at the cruel hands of man."

"So quick to accuse, yet you cannot see that I only wish to help you." His voice is exceptionally calm and his words are measured. "I do not wish that fate for you, neither do many of my fellow men. I have medicines and healing herbs here for your friend. I only wish the ease her pain and speed her recovery. If you hadn't so quickly judged me for the actions of my kind then you would have learned that."

The silver tongue of the sailor leaves Johanna speechless.

"You wish to help us?" A soft and gentle voice, which I recognize as Annie's, asks hesitantly.

"Indeed. Captain Snow is a cruel man and I cannot bear to think of what he'll allow to happen to creatures as majestic as yourselves. He would likely keelhaul me for being here, especially since I intend to heal your friend. It is lucky for me though because I have a friend aboard this ship who so desperately loves your kind and believes that none should be allowed power over you that he and a few others are standing guard for me. We will help free you, but I ask that you be patient and trust in us." His low voice is pleading.

"Alright." Annie softly says.

"Thank you." Our masculine companion begins to move about.

I hear Madge speaking to Annie in a soft undertone but I cannot make out their words. I try to lift my head but do not succeed. I try to speak once more but my voice is still lost in my chest.

"Will she be alright?" Madge asks in a wavering tone.

"I certainly hope so. I'll do all I can." His voice is filled with sadness.

"Why do you wish to help us?" Madge's voice is still bewildered.

"I don't think you realize they effect you've had on my fellow sailors. A few of them are quite taken with you." He chuckles, a deep and throaty noise.

"We realize." Johanna snarls quietly, "That is the point is it not? To capture the attentions of your kind, our prey, so we may capture you with ease. Of course we realize."

"No…not that effect. No this one is a lingering effect, attraction and infatuation if you will. Some would even say love. It is far more powerful than the effect of which you speak."

"Has she responded at all?" He speaks to no one in particular, before any can respond to his previous statement.

"No. We've tried calling out to her but there has been no response." Annie's voice is thick with worry. "I think she can hear us though because she has twitched a few times when Johanna has called out to her. It is almost as if she is trying but is trapped within herself."

"Annie…" Johanna hissed. No doubt in response to Annie using her name. Johanna doesn't trust humans, and won't trust these one despite his claims to free us. But Annie is right…I do feel trapped. Exhausted to the point that I am detached from myself. The only feeling I can register is pain as it radiates in my every pore.

"She was stabbed through the fin. The wound is rather small yet she is so weak. May I ask why?"

"Our fin is the most sensitive. Through it we move, and any movement with a wound is indeed most painful. It also houses a large amount of our nerves because through it we feel the changes in the water, the temperature changes or movements and ripples in the water. It is our most important appendage, without it we are useless." Madge explains.

"For her sake I hope she is unconscious." He mutters.

"Why is that?" Johanna asks with disdain.

"Because unfortunately this is going to sting." He replies kindly despite Johanna's rudeness.

Despite being able to hear their words I can barely recognize their meaning. It feels as though my head is in a haze. I hear him pull a stopper from a bottle top and I hear the liquid pouring.

It is a few moments before I feel the sting he had mentioned and I now realize what he had been speaking of. It is minimal at first, just an annoying twinge, but as more of the strange liquid reaches my wound it begins to burn. I feel my body respond as the painful inferno takes over. I feel the convulsions as I try to escape the pain. It is worse than I have felt so far and enough to sober me from my dazed state. I screw my eyes shut as a scream builds in my throat. It starts as a low groan but escalates rapidly.

A large hand clamps down over my mouth, trapping the scream inside. My eyes burn with tears and the pain continues.

…:::…

Man

I entered the brig with hopes that I could gain the trust of such magnificent creatures. It would be necessary if we were to free them.

Finnick has become unusually enamored with the red haired mermaid. I say unusually because he has been known to bed any willing woman without knowing a thing about her and then leaving before she would wake. The sea was his only love and he never showed more than a carnal desire for the opposite sex. To say I was surprised does not do justice to how I felt when he told me he had fallen in love. I laughed before realizing his seriousness. But I had to admit I know I was deeply affected by the injured, grey-eyed beauty now held in the brig. Likewise I had noticed Thom and Gale had started acting strangely as the days passed.

I had no doubt they were under a similar spell. Could there be any man who went unaffected by a mermaid's charm? Finnick had set himself on freeing our fair prisoners. I agreed to join him and, when asked, so did Gale and Thom.

I knew we would have to act fast, and we would need incredible stealth. First mate Cato and Marvel were still shaken by the attack, their rage towards the mermaids who had nearly taken them as victims was now directed at the four trapped in the brig. They claim they were lucky, personally I wouldn't have minded if those mermaids had managed their task, they are vicious and cruel men, following in the steps of Captain Snow.

So Finnick and Gale stood watch as I made my way down here to tend to my injured beauty.

I was painfully aware of the loud and heavy tread of my footsteps and the disturbance they created. I only hoped it would not alert anyone to my mission.

I was not expecting, upon arrival, the accusations thrown at me. They hadn't spoken much before. They refused to speak and I expected that to continue. I was not prepared initially for the angry words.

I was so distracted by my altercation with the angry one that I didn't notice at first the rough condition that the wounded woman was in.

It nearly broke my heart to see her tied to the rafters, her breathing shallow and her skin pale. The once vibrant scales upon her tail had dulled to a sickly green. The ropes had slightly chaffed and cut into her wrists. She looks awful.

"Will she be alright?" The blonde haired mermaid asks in a wavering tone.

"I certainly hope so. I'll do all I can." I try to keep my voice even and hopeful but I know I do not succeed. I hope against all hope that she will be alright but I cannot promise it.

"Why do you wish to help us?" She asks again, bewildered.

"I don't think you girls realize they effect you've had on my fellow sailors. A few of them are quite taken with you." I chuckle, attempting to alleviate the tension in the room.

"We realize." Johanna snarls quietly, "That is the point is it not? To capture the attentions of your kind, our prey, so we may capture you with ease. Of course we realize."

"No…not that effect. No this one is a lingering effect, attraction and infatuation if you will. Some would even say love. It is far more powerful than the effect of which you speak."

"Has she responded at all?" I ask quickly, hopefully.

"No. We've tried calling out to her but there has been no response." The vibrant red haired beauty asks in a voice that is thick with worry. "I think she can hear us though because she has twitched a few times when Johanna has called out to her. It is almost as if she is trying but is trapped within herself."

Well at least that is something rather than nothing at all.

"Annie…" The black haired one, whom I assume is Johanna, hisses. Which would mean that Finnick's red haired enchantress is Annie. Johanna seems very upset by the free exchange of conversation between us, especially the friendliness of it all.

"She was stabbed through the fin. The wound is rather small yet she is so weak. May I ask why?" I remember it being only a rather tiny incision yet she seems to have been affected so greatly.

"Our fin is the most sensitive. Through it we move, and any movement with a wound is indeed most painful. It also houses a large amount of our nerves because through it we feel the changes in the water, the temperature changes or movements and ripples in the water. It is our most important appendage, without it we are useless." The kind blonde haired one explains.

"For her sake I hope she is unconscious."

"Why is that?" Contempt colors Johanna voice.

"Because unfortunately this is going to sting." Despite her obvious hatred for me I will treat her with kindness, I need to gain some level of trust with them.

I pour the liquid into the barrel and watch as the water grows murkier. I hope for her sake that she is unconscious because this medicine stings.

I hear Annie whisper to the blonde haired one close to her, referring to her as Madge. Now I only need to learn the name of my grey-eyed enchantress.

For the first moments she is still and I breathe a sigh of relief. But all to suddenly she starts to thrash and I hear a growl deep in her throat. It grows swiftly and I know she will alert the entire ship if I do not act fast. I lunge around her and clamp my hand over her mouth. I cradle her head against my chest and attempt to shush her with soothing tones.

Her screams of pain are dulled by the barrier of my hand but still the sound wrenches my heart. I know the medicine was the right choice. It will help with her healing and reduce any infection but still I hurt knowing that I am causing her pain. I attempt to comfort her but the effects of the medicine are long lasting. She looks to me briefly and her grey eyes trap me in their depths. The anguish she feels is clearly conveyed and I ache to soothe her pain.

After many pain filled minutes her body goes limp once again.

"Is she alright?" Asks the blonde haired one whose name I do not yet know.

I place my fingers over her pulse point and feel a heart beat, steady and strong but strangely fluttering beneath my fingers. Her breathing has slowed deep and even and her muscles seem to be relaxing. Her heartbeat concerns me but it could be normal. I release her and she slumps once again.

I approach Annie and she looks at me tentatively. I have no doubt if I were to approach Johanna that I would not escape unscathed, but Annie is gentler in spirit, that much is obvious.

"Annie correct?" I ask and she nods. "May I?" I reach my hand toward her neck.

"Okay." She nearly whispers.

I place my fingers over the location where her pulse should be. It flutters as well and my worries cease.

"She seems to be fine." I say before approaching the unconscious mermaid. I lift her chin, gently, but her head lolls back. Her hair moves with it and uncovers her bare breasts, which had previously always been concealed behind her thick locks.

I panic and seek to rectify the situation. I admit I must sound like a bumbling fool. I can barely piece two words together, coherence is an unknown concept as I try to keep my eyes from wandering, or my hands god forbid. I gently move her head back to hang forward and blush heavily when I rearrange her long tresses.

Once she looks peaceful again I take my leave. Promising to return again soon.

"How are they?" Finnick worriedly asks as I make my way above.

"They seem to be doing alright. Their ropes are chaffing fiercely. I spoke with them."

"They spoke to you?" Finnick seems utterly astonished. "You are a lucky man! I've never heard of a mermaid willingly speaking with a human, unless of course it precedes their feast. What did you speak of?"

And so I relate my story to Finnick, Gale and Thom. I tell them what I've learned, their tails and their names. Finnick smiles dreamily as he sighs the name of the fair, red-haired Annie. He caresses her name as if were a most precious gem.

…:::…


	6. Chapter 6

Mermaid

A groan slips through my teeth.

"Katniss!" Annie's voice swells with relief.

My eyes flutter open and I recoil when the light from the lantern stings them. I allow them time to adjust and survey my wooden prison.

Annie and Madge are tied near each other; Johanna is near me on my left. I can clearly see that their wrists are an angry shade of red; I assume mine are the same. The ropes binding us to the rafters are rough and tight.

"Oh Katniss you're awake!" Madge exclaims. "How are you feeling?"

I inspect myself, the pain is surprisingly less than the last time I was aware. Whatever that awful liquid was it worked and I was grateful. I curse internally; I owe my life to another, a human no less.

"I'm alright. I feel much better, truly I do." Annie and Madge look relieved. Johanna looks irate. No doubt because, like me, she knows that there is thanks owed to the humans.

I vaguely recall the gentle touches of the male who had come to my aid. I never did get a chance to see him, but the tones of his voice resonated familiarly in my memory. I could not place them, but I felt as if I had heard them before.

"Katniss, we've spoken with the humans. They've agreed to help free us." Madge says in a hopeful tone.

"I know." I reply in a monotone. They look at me quizzically. "I vaguely remember hearing you speak of it."

Before we can continue speaking the sound of men returning resounds through the wooden planks.

An older, tall, blonde haired, scruffy looking man appears first. Following him are three men. One is lanky with greasy dark brown hair and cold calculating eyes. The next is another blonde man with harsh muscles, and eyes dark with greed and malice. Lastly is an older man, with graying hair and a full scraggly beard, and whose lips are pulled into a nasty sneer.

"Well," the second blonde man snickers, "how are my little ocean vixens?" His voice bleeds with false kindness.

We do not dignify him with a response.

It aggravates the men that we refuse to speak. It shows plainly on their faces as they twist into snarls.

The younger blonde approaches Johanna; he lets his hands trail through her hair, moving it aside for his lustful gaze. She hisses and snaps her teeth at him. Startled he steps back.

"What a bunch of sea-whores. Captain Snow is right; you belong in the circus…or dead for all I care. As long as I get my money." He growls before slapping Johanna across the face. Her fair skin reddened from the impact. She shrieks, not in pain but in anger.

Sadly any anger, pain, or otherwise only encourages these sick and evil men. They cut locks of our hair and cut off our scales. All the while mumbling that they will be worth a fortune. Then simply for their own game they mar our upper bodies with cuts and gashes. They smile, lips twisting into deformed and defiled versions of what they are meant to be. Such evil creatures, humans, they take pleasure from the pain they cause others. It is a repulsive joke that they find humor in.

Their torture continues, the pain pulses through my body, and our blood trickles into the barrels of water below…staining the salty water. After a long while they depart with their tokens, laughing as if they had enjoyed a childish game.

…:::…

Man

"Peeta." Thom's hushed and panicked voice rouses me from my slumber.

I jolt up in my hammock and nearly fall out of it.

"Peeta. Cato, Marvel, Brutus and Thread went visiting the prisoners. They returned bragging of their exploits and carried trinkets of scales and locks of hair."

His voice is filled with anxiety. The dread I hear matches that which has settled in my stomach. It churns to think of what horrors they have inflicted.

"Tonight." I sternly say. He nods. We will visit tonight. Tonight we will free them. We must, before anything worse can happen.

* * *

 **A/N: I know it's just a short one today but I promise another one is on the way soon! Please read and review!**


	7. Chapter 7

Mermaid

I hear the occasional whimpers from Annie and Madge, the stinging we all feel is never ending. The blood has mostly dried but the cool air still bites at the open wounds.

A heavy sequence of thumps sounds again. My body tenses, preparing for another round of torture at the hands of men.

A head of curly blonde hair appears around the corner. Annie and Madge breathe sighs of relief at this stranger's appearance. He is not one of the men from before. He lifts his eyes and scans the room. Taking in Annie, Madge and Johanna who are more directly in his line of sight. Visibly his body slumps. The ocean blue of his eyes hits me like a tidal wave. He is man from before...from the deck. And who released me from beneath that boulder.

"I'm sorry." His gentle voice whispers. The tenor of his voice invades my memory.

 _"You're beautiful."_

 _"I'm sorry."_

That is all he had said to me, yet I knew his voice. And now seeing his face I knew it was he who helped me.

He turns his eyes to me; they widen slightly when he sees that I am staring back.

His eyes grow wide with despair and they plead forgiveness for the actions he did not commit.

"I'm sorry. I wish I'd known. I wish I could have protected you." He says sadly.

I wish to be angry. To hate him as I hate his cruel kinfolk. Yet I know I cannot hate him simply because of their actions, no matter how cruel they were, of others.

He approaches cautiously until he is standing before me.

He reaches out gently touching the wounds inflicted by his kin.

"I'm so sorry. All I wished was to see you better and yet here you are nearly as bad as before." His face is broken; he would make for a truly terrible liar allowing his emotions to express themselves so freely on his face.

His touch is not unpleasant. Rather it brings me a strange warmth and comfort. He has a strange effect on me.

"I promise you I won't let this happen again. I will free you tonight. I swear." His gaze is intense and earnest. It traps me.

"I won't let them to harm you again."

I nod, still caught in the intensity of his stare.

A fair bit more thumping sounds rapidly, announcing the arrival of three more men.

A rather tall bronzed haired man with eyes as green as seaweed is the first to round the corner. Second a man who looks oddly like myself with grey eyes and olive skin, and who towers over the other men. The next man is shorter and stockier, much like the blonde haired man before me, with black hair and deep brown eyes. The man before me doesn't flinch at their arrival so I assume these were the friends I remember hearing him speak of.

The first man gazes around, eyes lingering on our damaged bodies. A few curses pass from his lips. "I hope the black spot finds them quickly. Those cursed sea dogs deserve to hang for such crimes." He growls and spits the words through his teeth. He quickly approaches Annie and tenderly tucks a few stray hands of hair behind her ear. His touch glides across the cut on her face. She winces slightly and he murmurs his apology.

"Someone as beautiful as you should never know such pain." He says in a low, velvet voice. He appraises her wounds, the cuts on her skin, the chunks missing from her tail, the bruises. His gentle concern is heartwarming. He is different; these men are different from the men I've encountered before. None have ever been so kind.

"Finnick is quite taken with your friend Annie." The blonde hair man in front of me whispers for only my ears to hear.

He clears his throat and turns to the others.

"These are the friends I had mentioned. Those who wish to help free you. That joker over there is Finnick." He gestures at the bronze haired man. "Thom and Gale." He points at the other two. "And I am Peeta."

"Boys, meet Annie, Johanna, Madge and…" He points to each of us in turn, stopping at me with a confused expression. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I've never learned your name."

He trains his blue eyes on me again. "Katniss." I force my voice to remain steady and strong, not allowing it to hint at the shiver his stare sends down my spine.

"Katniss." He whispers with a smile then turns to address the others.

"We must wait until the dead of night to free you. We've only brought a salve that will hopefully sooth your pain." He pulls a tin from his pants pocket. Taking a generous portion of the salve on his fingers before passing it to the others who do the same.

"May I?" He gently questions. I nod; amazed that he cares enough to ask my permission.

His warm and light touches smooth the salve across the many cuts.

"How do you know so much about healing?" I ask. He reminds me of my sister, she can heal anything, even if it is moments from death. She has a gift.

"I learned the basics from an old healer in town once. We don't make port for cuts and scrapes but they can get infected out here. I've seen men die from simple things. So I learned. I figured it would be a useful skill."

He looks deep into my eyes as he says, "It has proved most helpful. Helping you has made it entirely worthwhile." He smiles warmly and then finishes with the salve.

"We must take our leave now. But I promise we will return very soon."

The men gather and leave, but only after Finnick gives Annie a lingering kiss on the cheek.

"That feels infinitely better." Madge sighs. I must admit I release a sigh of my own at the relief.

…:::…

Man

We wait in our bunks, feigning sleep, until we hear the snores of every sailor filling the air. My eyes are closed and I dream; yet I do not sleep. I dream of Katniss.

Katniss.

Her name feels so precious on my lips. The silver pools of her eyes linger in my mind. The way they had searched my own and how ours locked together in a trance. The way her long, wavy tresses swayed slightly with the rocking of the ship. She is beautiful, undoubtedly. Not just because she is a mermaid. No her beauty is entirely separate. She is simply radiant, and would be no matter if she were mermaid or human.

Human….

Which she is not. She is a mermaid. I scold myself, for it is foolish to think such thoughts. We could never be together. I am human; land is where I must make my home. She is a mermaid. Can she even survive on land? I sigh at the utter hopelessness of the situation. We can never be together. I can never have her as my own because we are from completely different worlds.

I hear Finnick rise beside me. Thom and Gale too. I reach into my trunk and grab my knife. Silently we step out of the forecastle and cross to the brig. The four are sleeping, fitfully it seems. I quietly rouse Katniss. I bring my knife to her bindings and cut them free. I hear the others slicing through the other ropes as well. When I am almost through I slip one arm around her waist, tightly pressing her to my body. I hear a faint gasp and feel her breath quicken. I force myself to ignore her reaction to me. In a few moments she will be free and I will most likely never see her again. And if Captain Snow finds out of our involvement in their escape I will most likely be dead.

The rope finally snaps and her full weight drops free. I never figured that she could be so heavy. Her body seems so petite. My guess is that all the muscle in her tail makes up for the miscalculated weight. She drops only slightly before I catch her, and she leans heavily onto me. Water splashes over the sides of the barrel and around my feet. Her arms drop limply to her sides, her face pressed firmly against my cheek. I can feel her soft fluttering breath against my ear and it sends shivers of pleasure down my spine.

"Are you alright?" I question.

"Yes. I cannot feel my arms though. They have not yet regained feeling." She chuckles lightly.

"Peeta." Gale hisses. "We need to hurry." I turn my head to see him, with Johanna already held tightly in his arms. Her arms wound around his neck and her tail falling over his one arm.

Thom has Madge in a similar hold. But Finnick…Finnick has Annie cradled far closer to himself. His lips are murmuring against her temple. She smiles softly. My heart aches at the sight, I wish for similar moments with Katniss…however I have already come to know the truth. She will be gone soon. My heart clenches painfully at the thought. I turn away from them. I carefully lift Katniss' tail from the barrel, and desperately try to keep a firm hold on her slippery scales. She reaches her arms up and wraps them tightly around my neck, the feeling obviously returning to her limbs. Her head rests against my neck, her breath warming my shoulder. I nod at Gale and he makes his way above deck. We all follow.

The deck creaks beneath our steps and I flinch every time it does. I send silent prayers to the heavens that no one would be woken by the sounds. Gale has already reached the rails and is slowly maneuvering Johanna in order to lower her to the waiting sea. Thom does the same with Madge. Finnick and Annie are to caught up in themselves to let go just yet. And I find myself reluctant to lose the feeling of Katniss in my arms.

Gale releases Johanna and her body splashes into the water, loudly. We all stand frozen and silent. Waiting.

Long, tense moments of silence pass and nothing has changed. So Thom releases Madge after placing a soft kiss her to hand. She smiles sweetly, and blushes. Another loud splash announces her freedom.

Finnick is about to lower Annie over the side when it happens.

 _Clang!_ The old rusty bell rings clearly in the night air.

"The prisoners are escaping!" Cato's cruel sneer can undoubtedly be heard by every man aboard this ship.

A few moments later the ship is alive with movement as the men rush to the deck. Captain Snow barges from his cabin and howls in anger at the sight on the deck below where he stands. His eyes scan us. Four men, only two mermaids, one clearly hung over the edge, almost free.

"Stop them!" He bellows.

My stomach drops. Even if we manage to free them Captain Snow will have us executed for treason.

I look around; the others have come to the same realization. Annie turns quickly to Finnick, "Come with me?" she begs.

I turn back as the sound of footsteps barrels towards me. Cato's face is masked with wickedness.

I turn to rush Katniss to the deck but Cato has already reached me. He rams into me and Katniss falls from my grip. Her body skims along the wooden deck coming to a stop still to far from the edge. She won't make it on her own.

I struggle free from Cato's grasp and turn towards Katniss. She's watching me with worried eyes. Finnick is behind her still holding Annie's arms. Thom and Gale stand on guard as Marvel, Brutus and Thread close in around them. Finnick looks to me questioningly.

"Go!" I yell. Thom and Gale catch my meaning as well and begin to head for the rails. I turn to face Cato again but I still hear the splash as Finnick and Annie land in the water. We are not to far from land; they could still swim to safety whereas they will surely die here.

Cato lands a punch square on my jaw; my body spins slightly from the contact. I regain my bearings and return the action. So our dance continues, he and I wrestle, landing blows upon each other. With one particularly strong strike I send Cato sprawling onto the deck.

I turn back and rush towards Katniss; Captain Snow is descending upon her. She looks to me in alarm.

"Peeta!" She shouts, reaching out to me. "Behind you!"

I barely have time to register her words. I turn to find Cato with a blade drawn and rushing towards me.

Quickly the blade drags deeply through my skin. I cry out into the salty air, pain ripping through my body.

…:::…


	8. Chapter 8

Mermaid

His strangled cry tears at my heart. His face contorts and twists in such pain. Blood quickly spills down his leg and covers the deck. He falls limply and Cato hovers over him with a sickly satisfied grin. Peeta's body heaves in labored pants and grunts.

Cato kneels over him, with his blade ready. He growls something into Peeta's ears, Peeta's eyes go wild with rage.

Peeta grabs a fistful of Cato's shirt and pulls him over his own body. He swiftly places his two feet into Cato's gut and thrusts them out strongly. Cato's body flies into the ocean waters below. Peeta howls in pain at the effort, but once again falls limply.

Gale and Thom still fight to get to the deck, keeping two other sailors occupied. They cannot help him. I try to pull myself along the deck, the effort only made a little easier by my still wet tail. It is a struggle, I rarely need my arms for movement, and they are not accustomed to such labor.

Captain Snow still struggles towards me, trying to fight through the crowd of sailors. Some are fighting for Snow, and many are rebelling against him.

It takes a lot of strength but I manage to reach Peeta's side. I look down over his dangerously pale face. His beautiful face marred by pain. This beautiful man, who cared for me and protected me, who drew me in and stirred feelings I never thought possible…that I never acknowledged till now. His strong arms limp at his sides, arms that have held me close, hands that gently and lovingly caressed my skin, hands that healed. His leg now sat in a puddle of crimson blood. His breathing was growing shallow.

He is near the edge. If can roll him I can help him. "I'm sorry Peeta." I whisper as I then struggle to roll his muscular frame. He groans and cries out with every turn and I choke out my apologies.

"Katniss stop." He calls out. "I'm not worth it. Please. Just get yourself free. I'm sorry I cannot help you any longer. I won't make it Katniss, but you can. Please go. Leave me."

Tears spill from my eyes.

"I can't." I sob. "Peeta you saved me. I can save you too. Please, just hold on. Don't give up." He closes his eyes. "Don't leave me." I whisper."

He nods weakly. I return to my ministrations. He still protests but it is weaker than before.

I get him to the railings and beg for him to try and pull himself over the relatively low railing. He struggles to do so but I assist him and push him up. When he's slumped against the railing I pull myself up beside him. He holds on tightly, using his arms to keep him there.

"We're almost there Peeta. Just a bit further."

Gale suddenly appears at Peeta's side. I notice Thom is nearly right behind him. Thom jumps off the deck and waits in the water below. Gale hoists Peeta over the rail and drops him to where Thom is waiting.

He turns to me and begins to hoist me up as well.

Suddenly his arms are gone and I hear a splash below. I look down as Gale's head bobs above the water, his dark eyes wide with shock.

I turn back and see Captain Snow's snakelike eyes glaring down at me.

"You'll still fetch a fair price." He snidely remarks. He reaches out to grab my wrists and I struggle against him. His grip is strong and I fear I will not get free. He pulls my roughly away from the railing, away from my freedom.

A large set of black hands unexpectedly appear around the Captain's neck.

"You'll pay for all you've done." A mans voice growls. He twists and the sickening snap of Captain Snow's neck fills my ears. The old man falls limp and the large dark skinned man stands over him looking pleased with himself.

He steps over the body and grabs hold of my body. He says nothing to me as he brings me to the railing and drops my body into the dark waters.

The cool relief of the familiar salt water assaults my senses. The moment is fleeting and soon I am searching for Peeta. Gale and Thom are still keeping his head above water and I swim towards them quickly. Johanna and Madge have returned to help the two sailors. I relieve Peeta from them. I struggle to keep hold of his dead weight.

I hear the shallow breaths still passing his lips but it is not the relief I hoped it would be.

"Peeta?" I ask worriedly. A small moan is his only response.

I know what I must do. I grab his face and turn it towards me. His eyes are dropping and barely aware. I lace my fingers into his hair and crash his lips to mine. I kiss him roughly, fiercely, and desperately.

A mermaid's kiss gives humans the temporary ability to breath underwater. Normally it would be used to keep our prey from panicking before we feast upon them. But now I need to use this for an entirely different reason.

A soft sigh leaves his lips when they part from mine. I do not dwell on that, instead I pull him deep into the water. I swim fiercely, pushing myself faster and faster. Driven by my desperation to save this man I push myself harder than I ever have before.

It feels as if I swim forever before I finally reach my home. I hear the alarm sound in everyone's voices as they recognize me and then my cargo. But I ignore them and continue until I reach the cave where Prim resides with her mate, Rory.

"Prim!" I call out frantically. She rushes out to meet me, eyes wide with surprise, disbelief and then confusion.

"Prim please! He's dying!" I cry. She asks no questions.

"Rory!" Prim calls out. He swims out and takes in the scene with curiosity.

"Help me get him inside." Rory relieves Peeta from me and brings him inside.

My sister has always been incredible. Her abilities to heal are beyond compare and her heart of compassion is like no other. She would never withhold healing from one who is injured even in they are most often her prey.

With Peeta lying on her bed, and Rory holding him down she examines his wound swiftly before ripping a piece of cloth from his tunic and wrapping it tightly around his wounded leg.

She rummages through her stock and pulls out a few vials. She mixes together a concoction of ingredients and caps them back in an empty vial. Then she turns to me, holding out the vial.

"Katniss he must be brought to the surface. He is human, he cannot find healing here in the water. This salve will not work for him here. Quickly Katniss or he will die very soon." She says forcefully and urgently.

"I cannot carry him that far alone." I whimper.

"Rory will help you. Now you must go. You must be strong Katniss." She pushes me towards Peeta's body. "Now!"

With Rory's help Peeta's limp form is cradled between us and we begin to make our way towards the surface, towards the nearest land I know of. It is only a small island but it will do. Hopefully the others found their way there as well.

...:::...

Man

Pain. Throbbing, burning, unbearable pain. The cool caress of ocean water rushing by. The stinging of salt in a wound. A firm grip on each of my arms. The occasional flickers of light as I drift in and out of consciousness. And finally the rush of water from my ears, the burning heat of the sun, and a gentle breeze wafting with ocean air.

I feel the coarseness of the sand along my skin as someone drags my limp, semi-conscious body across the beach and out of the water. I hear voices but it reminds me of trying to hear someone speaking when your ears are filled with water. I know that I am no longer submerged in the ocean, I can feel the heat of the sand burning my skin.

Then the soft caress of of a gentle and hesitant begins to work over my skin slowly. However each pass brings both a coolness and tingling alongside the searing and burning pain. The small conscious and logical part of my brain can tell it's a salve being applied to the wound on my leg. The rest of me feels like I'm being burned alive.

…::::...


	9. Chapter 9

Mermaid

It was lucky for me that when I got closer to the island I was spotted by the sailors. Gale and Finnick took Peeta from me and dragged him from the water. I pulled myself along behind them, cradling the precious salve. Finnick pulls a knife from his pocket and helps me cut away the leg of Peeta's trouser which clings to the damaged leg. I spread on the salve over the furious gash. A part of me wants to flee, to get far away from the gruesome scene, but there is a much larger pull that keeps me grounded here. Unable to move from his side.

Hours pass since I first applied the salve. I can feel myself drying out. The last drops of water are evaporating from my skin. Finnick has begged me more than once to get back in the water. But I won't move. He's even gone so far as to stand in the shallows and attempt to splash water on me.

"Katniss please." Gale stoops down beside me. Briefly he looks over at Peeta's unconscious form. "You need to get back in the water."

"I'm not leaving him." I say with great conviction. The salve is working but slower than I would like and Peeta still hasn't awoken. He has occasionally twitched and when I applied the salve a scream was ripped from his throat and the sound tore at my heart.

Never had I imagined that such feelings were possible. Never had it occurred to me that our two kinds could live in peace much less to love. I would never have imagined that humans could be anything but prey. Never dreamed I would look upon one with love and feel a deep sense of anguish at the suffering of one. Yet here I am, on the beach where my heart is lying unconscious on the sand. Finnick keeps bringing me cool water for Peeta from the ocean using a strip that he tore from his shirt as a rag.

My skin has begun to tingle and itch but I can't bear to leave Peeta's side for even a moment. His color is returning and his breathing is slow and peaceful. I find myself combing my fingers through his salt crusted curls trying to smooth down the unruly mess. My eyes drift over his sun kissed face, wishing to see his kind blue eyes, and admiring his strong features. To think I ever thought that humans were evil, Peeta is living proof that such prejudices are wrong. Just because he is different from me doesn't mean he is evil as I was taught my whole life.

The itch seems to be burrowing under my skin and is growing ever irritating. Even after I scratch the itch is persistent. Like something is under my skin trying to force it's way out.

"Katniss!" Finnick's voice is filled with alarm as he charges from the shallows up the beach to where I lay next to Peeta.

His sudden shout draws my attention to his worried face. It takes a moment before I notice where his gaze is fixed. My tail.

Looking down at it now the scales look dry and cracked. The color is lackluster and dull. Much like it was whenever I shed them as a growing child. They've started to peel away but it looks different than it did when I was young. Instead of simply sliding away it seems that the lack of moisture is causing them to flake. I reach down and brush my hand against the rough, hardened scales. The scale moves under my touch. It twinges a bit and the sensation turns my stomach. It's an unusual feeling, it almost feels wrong to peel away my own tissue like this. But I push forward, curious. As each scale falls to the sand it reveals an entirely different flesh. Not the bright colorful scales as I expected but instead the same olive colored skin of my torso.

"Hell's teeth." Gale breaths nearby.

"Legs." Finnick stutters in disbelief. The same feeling resonates deep within me, that feeling of impossibility.

I continue to peel the last remaining scales from my legs. I stare at them in astonishment, not quite sure that what I'm seeing is real. Waiting for the moment that the hallucinations stop and my tail is back.

"Woah now!" Finnick startles me from my daze and the same time that Gale lets out a curse. I look to them confused but neither wants to looks my way.

Finnick strips off his worn white shirt and without glancing my way hands it to me. Confused I reach out for it not knowing why I should take it or what use I have for it.

"You should...uh...should cover your..." Gale stutters, clearly uncomfortable although I can't fathom why. His cheeks are stained red. He gestures to my waist and I can't help but furrow my brow in confusion.

Finnick gently grabs the shirt from my hands and drapes it across my newly uncovered skin. He guides my arms into the sleeves and my head through the tattered neck hole. "You'll need to cover up your arse now Katniss. Humans are rarely so...exposed."

Finnick grabs hold of my wrists and pulls me to my unsteady feet. Finnick's shirt drapes down around my thighs. Thighs. The thought is still so unbelievable.

The moment he lets go my new legs give way and I collapse with a thud and a mouthful of sand.

"You'll get it soon enough." Finnick chuckles as he lifts me up to try again.

…::::::...

Man

The pain begins to ebb and my mind begins to clear. I no longer feel like I'm on fire instead it's more like a heaviness that encompasses my every limb.

My hearing returns first. And the sweet sound of humming and occasional laughter enraptures my foggy mind.

Next comes smell, the familiar smell of salty sea air. The smell of trees.

Then taste, my mouth tastes unbearably stale.

The hot sand against my skin and the light stinging from my wound are refreshing after the unending heaviness. And the subtle caress of someone's hand on my skin is close to heavenly.

Finally, after it felt like my sight may never return I can see the bright sunlight behind my eyelids. With a bit of struggle I open my eyes and blink rapidly into the light of the setting sun. A deep groan rips from my raw throat.

"Peeta." A beautiful voice calls out with worry. I squint my eyes and look upon the most beautiful face. "How do you feel?" Her soft hands brush the hair away from my eyes. He hands and eyes are searching every inch of my face.

"Katniss." My voice is raw and weary. "What happened?"

She explains is great detail the events since the last moment I remember and as she talks her hands wander down to my wounded leg. Inspecting the area she seems pleased with what she sees and I take that as a great comfort.

"And then..." She hesitates after telling me the amusing tale of how Finnick tried to splash her with water, which I can see is a fair distance from where we lie, in order to keep her from drying out. "When the moisture was gone from me my tail started to itch. So I peeled away the dried scales and in place of my tail were legs."

She states it with such whimsical nonchalance that for a minute I don't quite comprehend the impossibility of it all.

"Legs?" It takes me a few long moments to come to my senses but when I do I'm sure the look on my face suggests that I think she's gone mad. Like how you'd look at someone as if they'd grown a second head.

She nods simply and so I turn my gaze down to where her tail would be and and amazed to see she does indeed have legs.

"How?" I stutter out stupidly.

"It seems that as long as I am dry I can have legs but the minute water touches my skin my tail will grow back. Finnick and I realized that when he got tired of teaching me how to walk and thought I should learn to use my legs for swimming. It turns out I won't need that particular skill." She chuckles and smiles down at me. So breathtakingly beautiful is she.

"So you have legs?" I dare to acknowledge the hope blossoming in my chest.

"I do."

"You can stay on land if you so choose. Or return home to the sea I guess."

"I'd like to stay on land." She says almost wistfully. "There is a lot to explore up here."

She looks off over the horizon where the sun is setting over the ocean. The soft hue of sunset, my favorite color, reflecting in her molten eyes.

"Would you like some company on your adventures?" I dare to ask, dare to hope, and hold my breath just waiting for her to break my heart or give it wings.

"Would that company be you? Or will I be forced to ask Gale and his mood swings to show me this new world?" She gives me a wry smile. Daring me to ask for what I desire.

"I would like it to be me. If you'll have me I would love nothing more than to show you the world. To stay beside you forever." I say in earnest, catching her gaze and holding it steady. I want her to see every desire of my heart revolves around her.

"I'll allow it." She says as her cheeks stain red with a blush. Her hand brushes against mine and not willing to miss another moment I capture it.

"Finnick and Gale should be back soon." She says after a quiet moment filled with peaceful bliss.

"We should get you up. They went in search of a safer place than this. You're finally well enough to move. Although I suspect you won't have full use of that leg yet."

With the minimal strength I can muster from my tired limbs and her assistance I find myself seated against the nearest tree. She fusses over me worrying that I may have hurt myself moving but I'm fine. The best I've ever been. So to stop her worry and to appease my own overwhelming desire for her I grasp her face firmly between my hands stopping her movements. My thumbs caress her cheekbones and the fine wisps of hair at her temples. I let myself get blissfully lost in the storm of her eyes before placing a firm kiss to her parted lips. She sighs before allowing herself to mold her lips with my own. Firmly I kiss her, pouring out all the tenderness and love, the hunger and desire, and allowing everything that is her, us, to consume me. Refusing to break away until the need for a deep breath of fresh air is to strong to ignore. Even then I refuse to let her go instead I rest my forehead against hers and allow her gentle panting breaths to wash over my face. She curls into my side and I am contempt.

We plan and dream together for hours. We kiss. We touch. We are wholly consumed by one another.

The ocean is painted with the light of the moon and stars when Finnick and Gale finally return to us.

We hear their cheerful shouting long before we can see them. It gives us a moment to right ourselves and avoid their teasing.

"We found the others!" Finnick cheers.

Gale and Finnick help me to my feet. My injured leg gives me a pronounced limp and I can't walk without aid yet. But I gladly lean into my friends for support as we make our way to the cove where the others took shelter. It'll be good to be reunited again. To see everyone alive and well after all that we endured these past days.

I can hear Katniss humming behind us as we trek across the sand. That sweet siren's song that began the greatest adventure and brought me the great treasure. A life together and a love worth more than gold.

 _ **The End**_

* * *

 **A/N: Wow! Sorry that this took so long! I got a promotion at work and then all of a sudden it was April! Thank you all for the support and love for this little story. Thanks for all the support for my writing I really am always giddy to read your comments. Follow me for more stories coming soon!**


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